Vacation Schemes for Law Students in the UK

How vacation schemes work

Vacation schemes (also called vac schemes) are paid two-to-four week work placements at law firms, typically run over summer and sometimes over Easter. They give students a genuine insight into life at the firm — working with real trainees and associates on current matters — and are the primary route to training contract offers at most City and large national firms. Most large London firms expect training contract candidates to have completed their vac scheme first. Summer vacation schemes typically run in June and July, with Easter schemes in April. Applications open in autumn (October to December) for the following year. Competition is intense at top firms, with thousands of applications per cohort. Strong written applications, accurate knowledge of the firm's practice areas, and clear commercial awareness are essential.

Frequently asked questions